


A Debt Repaided

by musings_and_daydreams



Series: A Debt Repaid [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 19:50:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11858496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musings_and_daydreams/pseuds/musings_and_daydreams
Summary: Written for the Tumblr prompt "Imagine being a young woman living in a small village, in a realm at war, where Loki is fighting alongside Thor. Loki is gravely injured and taken to your village for help. You take him to your home and nurse him back to full health. A month later, your village is attacked and you are left barely alive. Loki finds you and remembers that you’re the one that saved his life. He decides to return the favor and bring you to Asgard, where he takes care of you until you’re well again, and in the process, you find yourselves falling in love."





	1. Chapter One

You could feel the ground around you shake with every impact that was made by the forces outside of the house. Your village was under attack, in the middle of an ongoing war in your realm. Weeks- Months-Years, you couldn’t tell which by now and the memory of peace seemed like a far away dream by now. You didn’t know what the opposing side wanted, but you knew that the Asgardian soldiers were on your side and fighting to regain peace for your realm.

Screams sounded around you as dirt fell from the roof above, the old house at the back of the village that all the women and children had been ushered into was going to be torn to shreds.There was a crack of thunder and a wave of heat and wind rushed through the wooden walls. You began to push back the elderly and the scared children into one of the less open rooms, trying to get them to a safer place than in the wide open main living area. They held onto you too. You were a part of the village’s healers and even despite being the youngest of the group, you were one of the best healers that they had. They need you safe in case of worse circumstances. The children were still crying and you were tending to an elderly woman that had been burnt when her house caught on fire when a heavy knock on the door silenced everyone. Everyone remains frozen where they sit, stand or lay and their eyes are full of fear. The knock comes again, this time with more force. You place a finger on your lips in a signal to all of the eyes that are watching you that they should remain quiet. Then you beckon Kara, one of the young female warriors in training to come with you as you cautious and slowly make your way to the front door. 

“Please!” A male voice shouts from the other side of the door. "We are in need of a healer!“ Then he pounds at the door again. Seconds later, the door splinters. Apparently you hadn’t reached the door in what seemed like a timely matter to him. Both he and his companion are in tattered and blooded, but clearly in Asgardian armor. They stumble forward, one is dark haired and nearly unconscious; all but a dead weight on the other’s shoulders.There is arrow sticking out of this man’s torso, and you can see that that it might have punctured some of his organs. And he’s sweating profusely, which means infection and fever. "The prince with not make it past the journey through the Bi-frost.” The man holding the injured dark hair figure (who now you know is the prince) tells you can Kara as you both stand frozen. “He needs a healer  _now_.” 

His demanding voice springs you into action. “Kara, I need hot water and cloth.” You tell her as you bring the two men inside. She stands there for a minute with her tan skin turning a pale ashy color, still in shock from seeing the massive amount of blood covering both men. “ _Kara,_   _ **now**_.” Her head snaps up and her eyes meet yours. Then she runs from the room, calling out your orders to the others as she goes. A few of them rush into the main room to help you as you clear off a table, shoving things to the floor in order to have a clear space to lay down the injured prince. As the soldier lays the prince on the cleared table they both let out a groan, the soldier’s from relief and the prince’s from pain. 

You immediately go to work, making do with the meager tools that you are given. A bowl of fire warmed water is set on the table a near the head of the prince and you plunge a clean cloth rag into it, to being to clean the blood off his clothes and skin. He whimpers and shakes as you do so because as you clear the blood from his skin, you only find more (but thankfully less life threatening) wounds on his body. There is a gash on his forehead, a hole in the skin of his arm from where he must have tugged an arrow head out, and a burn running the length of his leg from who knows what. As you strip him from the majority of his clothing, all of the unnecessary help is removed from the room, so you can save what is left of his dignity. You find that his now tattered and blood darkened clothes were once a green,  _‘This must be Loki’._ Not many from your realm saw any of the crown princes, much less tended to one. His newly exposed pale skin starts to glisten with sweat in the fire light, not a good sign. You experimentally tug at the arrow and his body arches in pain, his eyes popping open as a yell leaks out of his mouth.

“What… are you… doing… to me?” He says through his gritted teeth, his head swinging around to determine his location. His eyes find the other soldier and he goes to ask him a question, but his train of thought is stopped short a you pull him to lay flat against the table once more. He winces, a pale hand going to find the arrow shaft still stuck in his abdomen.

“She is a healer your majesty.” The soldier says weakly from where he sits on a chair. He hasn’t moved since he dropped into the chair after laying the prince on the table. “And you are in need of her help.”

Loki looks up at you from the table, “I need the help of no one.” Then without warning- he sits up, gets off the table and yanks the arrow from his body. Blood instantly starts to gush from the open wound, even though his hand is trying to cover the opening. A flash of green goes through the air, then fizzes out second later. He slumps backwards into the table, losing his what was left of his strength as a second flash of green flies around his hand and then vanishes. He is breathing hard as look of panic crosses his face and his skin is becoming more pale by the second.

You, however, had gone into action as soon as you had popped out of the frozen state of shock you had been in after he pulled out the arrow. Your hands are shaking as you place a large amount of bandages into his side and push him to lay flat on the table. He was going to loose too much blood this way, he was going to die by his own hand. You think fast, telling one of the others in the room to put pressure on his wound. Then your frantic gaze hits the fire and its metal accessories. It wasn’t anywhere near the right tool, but it would have to work in this situation. By the time he’s paling and realizing his mistake, you had already directed the rest of the helpers in the room to hold him down anywhere the could have the most grip. Some were at his shoulders, others placing hand on his legs and hips. When the hot metal hits his raw skin it sizzles, but the small sound is quickly blocked out by the agonizing scream that leaves his mouth. The sound bounces off the walls, his body arching against the hand that hold him in place in the struggle to move away from the object that was causing him so much pain and then all goes silent as he returns to unconsciousness. The silence rings in your ears as you drop the now cool metal to the floor, the thud barely registering. Now all you could do was wait, if he had internal bleeding you couldn’t do much- the little healing magic you had wasn’t strong enough to heal that deep of a wound without killing yourself in the process. But it was enough to heal the rest of his minor injuries when you had the necessary equipment.

Loki was still unconscious when the leader of your village came to give you the all clear. You had covered Loki’s body with the cleanest sheet you could find and had asked them to move the entire table to the healing center right next to your home.You followed them, making sure that he wasn’t moved too much and that he was still breathing. The other Asgardian soldier followed just as close. 

When you arrived to the healing center you went back to work, not bothering to take a break. You exchanged the make-shift bandage dressing that covered Loki’s wound for clean wrappings, infusing them with the minor spells that you knew and clean up the Asgardian soldier, who left as soon as you were done to report back to Asgard.

For days, Prince Loki lay unconscious and you stayed almost just as still, monitoring for signs of internal bleeding and tending to him. You ate what was brought to you by others and took few breaks. He still had a fever, which had you worried. When he would start to moan in his sleep, you’d take the cloth from cool bowl of water by the table and wring it out before dabbing at his hot skin. The light that made its way through the windows bounced of the white fabric and made his skin take on a rightly placed sickly appearance. A few weeks in, the gash on his forehead no longer needed bandaging and neither did the burn on his leg. All that was left was the arrow wound and the shivering of his almost gone fever.

“You need rest, child.” The voice coming from over you shoulder startled you, your hand jerking away from where it lay on Loki’s forehead to check his temperature. The calm voice belonged to the old healer that everyone called “Nana”. She had been around long enough that she had taken care of nearly every kid in the village at one point or another. “He’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”

You let out a sigh, checking on the dressing of Loki’s arrow wound. “I can’t- I can’t. What if he wakes and I am not present?” You had feared that he might do something stupid again. “What if I’m asleep and something happens?”

Nana took your chin in her wrinkled hand, stroking the dark circle that had formed under your eyes. “You care a great deal for the boy you know nothing about, do you not?”

“It’s my job to Nana.” You yawn. “He needs me, even though he said he did not.”

“Then rest child.” Even in her old age, she still find the strength to force you into the bed next to Loki’s table. Patting the top of your head like she did so many years ago when she tended to your own fever you had as a child. “You need it as much as he does.”

But as it happens, Loki did wake during the night. He had been shivering while you had fallen asleep, his fever breaking shortly before he woke. He plucked the now dry cloth from his forehead, letting it fall to the cloth covered floor of the the healing center. His brow furrowed as his eyes adjusted to the low light and he groaned in pain when he tried, then failed to sit upright. The muscles in his neck shook as he turned his head, taking in his surroundings. When his eyes found you, he let out a sigh of relief that he had not been taken somewhere that they might do him harm. But then he frowned upon seeing your condition. He couldn’t remember much from the short time he had first awoken under your care, but he knew that your skin should not be that pale and that you shouldn’t have such dark marks under your closed eyes. You stirred in your sleep, moving a bit before and opening your eyes slightly before sighing and falling back into a deep slumber. He smiled a little before doing the same. He’d have to find a way to repay you somehow.

Early the next morning, you awoke with a start. Something was different and you knew it. Last night couldn’t have been real, his eyes were open last night. You rushed from the bed next to Loki and placed a hand to his forehead. His fever was gone, it had finally broken. You hand slide from his forehead to his cheek, testing to make sure that it was really gone.Then his green eyes open, blinking up at you as he squints in the morning light. “How do you feel?” Your question is hushed, as to not wake the others in the room. “Do you think you can stand?”

He doesn’t say anything yet, but nods in response and you slowly help him up. He winces a couple of times but eventually makes it to his feet, leaning on your body for support. “How long have I been out?” His voice is cracking and soft due to its un-use in the past weeks, but you can still feel it vibrate over your skin.

“Almost a month now.” You tell him as you sit him on the bed you had recently vacated. It would be much better for him than the hard table and his legs were still weak. “You had me worried, but there wasn’t any internal damage.” You admit while you kneel down in front of him to check the healing progress of his arrow wound. It’s a bright pink against his pale skin. “You can go back to Asgard as soon as you can walk on your own.” You give him a light pat on the shoulder, then stand to leave.

He catches your hand as you turn, tugging you weakly back to face him. “Thank you.” He says, looking straight into your eye with sincerity radiating thorough his own. “I guess I did need the help of another.”

Over the following days, you help him regain his strength. When he’s been in your care for a little over a month and a half, he can walk on his own and his wound is no longer an angry pink mark on his pale skin. He has had someone bring him more clothes from Asgard and is about to begin his journey back when you insist upon checking him over one last time.

“I’m fine.” He tells you with a short laugh as you run your fingers over the wounds that have now turned to light pink scars on his skin. “You don’t need to worry about me anymore.“ 

"It’s my job to worry.” You tell him with a smirk as he catches your hand as it smooths down his shirt.

“If there’s anything I can ever do to repay you…” he tilts his head to catch your gaze, even if you don’t want him to.

“There is no debt to repay.” You shake your head and help him stand with your arms wrapped around his, even though he doesn’t need it anymore.

“There’s always something.”

“No there is not.” You lead him to the entrance of the healing center and out of the door. “Now go,” You say with a joking smile, “You are no longer under my care.”

“Maybe one day then, you think of something.” He smiles and presses a charm into your hand. “Call out to me when you do. I will hear." 

And with that he turns to leave for Asgard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome!


	2. Chapter Two

The peace lasts in your realm for nearly three months after the attack which is about a month after Loki had left, it was just long enough for things to get back to normal before there was another attack. This one came too quickly without any warning at all and your village was not prepared for it. The warriors were not armed, the healer’s center was low on supplies and many of the houses that would have been used for a shelter for the elderly, women and children were still in repair.

You had been in the village market when the horns had sounded. Every single person around you froze and then seconds later, the market burst into action. The men and women who were warriors dropped what they were doing and ran to the barracks to get armor and weapons, you saw Kara among them. Shop owners hastily started to pack all of their supplies and get them inside. Mothers fled with their children to the nearest newly designated safe house, which was near the Chief’s house behind another defense wall. And you and the other healers ran to gather what healing supplies you could, then you were sent out to areas of the village to find others that had not yet made it to the safe house.

As you ran along the out streets of the village, debris was flying over your head. The attackers must have had breached the still in repair outer wall of the village. The earth below you shook as the walls fell and it made you fall onto the cobble streets, your skin breaking in road rash as it made contact with the stone. Thank fully you found few stragglers. A mother with two children that had been trapped under a fallen beam of a house. An elderly couple who were just slowly making there way to the second set of defense walls. You healed their small wounds as you ushered them inside the safe house, not thinking about yourself as you drained your energy. As soon as you were sure that they were safe inside, you went to leave again to return in your search for anyone who had been left outside in the battle. Nana stopped you with a wrinkled had on your arm as turned to leave.

“Have you seen Kara?” Her voice was steady, but you could see the fear in her eyes. Nana was a mother to everyone, even more concerned about your people than you were. “She is not ready to fight on her own and she has not yet returned from the barracks.”

“I will find her Nana,” You said, patting her hand in reassurance, “I am sure she is fine.”

“You need to be safe as well.” Nana touched a hand to the top of your head and it came away red.

 _The debris,_  you thought, _how had I not felt that._  ”I’m fine, it is only tomato juice.” You lied, “I was in the market earlier.”

She gave you a knowing look of concern as you paused at the door. “Be safe child, our people need you.”

Not long after you left the safe house, you found Kara doing the same thing you had been doing when the attack started. She was helping people out of buildings and sending them fleeing in the directions of the safe house. But the sounds of battle were getting dangerously close to where you both were. “Kara!” You shouted as you ran to where she was standing. “You need to be behind the walls!” When you reached her, you began to push her in the direction of the safe house. “It is unsafe for you to be out here. You are not a warrior yet.” Kara opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, you shoved her back into an opening as you were tugged backward into the open street.

“What do we have here?” A snide voice asks. “Are you trying to save the day by yourself?  _W_ _oman._ ” It was a small group of soldiers that belonged to the force that was destroying your village. You said nothing, only pushing yourself to your feet to run in the opposite direction of the Kara and the safe house. A strong kick to your back knocked you forcefully to the ground as a result. “I was speaking to you  _woman,_ how dare you leave my question unanswered.”  You still ignored them, scrambling on your hands and knees to try and create more distance between them and Kara. A large hand grabbed you by your neck and flung you against the wall of one of houses that lined the street. “You will speak when you are spoken to!”

“I only speak to those who deserve to be answered.” You told them through gritted teeth as you rose to your feet, bracing your back against the wall behind you. “I do not answer to the likes of you.”

One of the enemy soldiers got up in your face, harshly pinning you to the wall with a hand to your throat. He cracked a sickly smile when he saw the green charm that laid there. The charm that Loki had given to you in case you might think of something to “repay the debt” of caring for him after he had been gravely injured. “So you are the Prince’s whore.” He pressed harder against your throat as he tilts his head and your hands claw at his grip. You start to struggle for breath as he cuts off your air supply. “Too bad…” Your vision starts to dim. “for you at least.” Then he takes his sword and plunges it through your midsection, hitting the wood of the wall behind you with a wet thud. Your mouth hangs open and your eyes go wide as your body goes into shock. The other soldiers laugh has he removes his sword, leaving your body more damaged in its wake and snaps the necklace chain from around your neck. As they leave, you sink to your knees while one hand flies to the gaping wound in a meek attempt to stop the blood flowing from your body and the other braces your body as you fall forward into the ground. You hear Kara scream from her hiding place and then it all goes black.

———————————————————————-

In the distance, where the majority of the battle is taking place, Loki suddenly freezes in his place as a blood curdling scream runs through his head. Mjolnir goes flying past his head as Thor defends his frozen brother.

“What is it brother?” Thor grabs Loki by the shoulders and shakes him out of his daze. “We are at war. Do not stand here, where you might be killed.”

“Did you not just hear that scream.” Loki replies, his brow furrowing.

“Look around you, brother.” Thor tells him. “It could have been any number of beast that we have slain.”

“It was different. Something is wrong.” Loki’s head snaps to take the village in his view, the walls are completely destroyed and there is smoke billowing from the wreckage. You hadn’t called to him, so he assumed you were safe. He continues to fight as the battle rages on, until something one of the soldiers holds catches his eye. Among the teeth and collected marks of victory around the solider’s neck sits the green charm he had given you upon his departure from the village the last time it was attacked. “ _Where did you get this?!_ ” He screams into the slowly dying soldier’s face.

“We have killed your whore,  _your Majesty._ ” The enemy soldier laughs as Loki’s face goes pale. "It was a pleasure to see her blood paint the streets.“ His voice strains as Loki chokes the life out of him. "She died a most horrible death.”

As soon as the light leaves the soldier’s eyes, Loki bolts towards the village and leaves Thor shouting after him. As soon he reaches the outer wall, he is met with destruction. Houses are piles of rubble and there are bodies laying were they took their last breaths. He runs through the streets, then he sees the second set of walls and runs towards them as he begins to shout your name in hope that you might still be alive. His armor clinks against itself as his legs move faster, his head whipping from side to side to look down the street. Then he hears a sob of your name as he flies past a small side street and nearly trips as he doubles back. Laying in the street, he sees a young warrior girl who has your head in her lap even as she bleeds from various wounds on her body. His knees buckle as he skids to a stop near your nearly lifeless body, gravel flying from the impact. He puts a shaking hand under your nose and sighed in relief when he found you still breathing, even if you were having trouble doing so.

Your eyes snap open when you feel him begin to heal you and you weakly push him away. “Kara… first…”. You tell him steady, your breathing sounding wet as you gasp for air between the words. He does so as quickly as he can, mending Kara’s skin with expert hand surrounded by a glowing green light. But when he turns to tell you that Kara will be fine, he finds you are no longer breathing and when he searches for your heartbeat, he finds it faint and nearly gone. He still goes to heal you, but Kara places a small gentle hand on his.

“She would not want you to die for her sake.” Kara says softly with tears running down her face. Her skirt is soaked in your blood, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

“ _No_.” Loki tells her, his voice wavering. “I will not have her die because of my actions.” He puts a hand to your torso and the skin around it begins to burn with green fire. Kara tries to force him off of you, but does nothing more than make him wobble where he sits on his knees. “Just enough to get her to Asgard little one.” He promises her, “Nothing more.” His body begins to sag as his energy becomes even more depleted in his attempt to close your wound so that he could safely get you into the care of the Asgardian healers. His eyes are beginning to look sunk in and his skin looks a bit pale before he’s closed off enough of the blood flow and picks you up, standing on shaking legs as your body hangs limp in his arms. “Heimdall! Open the bi-frost!” Then with a flash of light you and he are gone from your realm.

Once the pair of you land, it only gets worse. Loki lands quite unceremoniously at the Asgardian side of the bi-frost and without an explanation to the shocked Heimdall he vanishes again, only to reappear inside the healer’s wing of the palace completely drained of strength. The healers rush to his side as he plummets once again to his knees. “You have to help her.” He demands, his voice sounding like a weak shout. The healers ignore him and start to tend to his few and small wounds. “ _Help her!_ “ He demands, scaring the healer next to him with the sudden loud shout that rips through his lips. 

“My Prince, we simply cannot.” One of the older healers. “We have soldiers to care for and no bed to spare.”

Loki clings to you tighter. “Just the major injuries,” He pleads, “I can take care of the rest. She will not make the night if she goes without help.” The healer turns and he struggles to his feet. “I will  _not_ let her die.”

“I am going for supplies.” She tells him. “Do not do anything rash.” A choked laugh of relief leaves Loki’s lips as he settles you on bench just outside the healing rooms. You are so far gone that you don’t even react when the healers come back to poke and prod at you, fixing all of the internal damage to the best of their ability and wrapping your entire torso in bandaging. “She means something to you, yes?” The older healer asks as she finishes she cleans up the left over supplies.

Loki pulls you gently into his arms, resting your head softly against his shoulder. “Just repaying a debt.” He tells her weakly.

The healer chuckles. “That must be some debt, Your Highness.”

“She saved my life.” He shifts you in his arms so he can move your blood-matted hair away from your face with one hand. Then he slowly smooths the pad of his thumb over the wound to heal the gash. “I can only repay her by doing as such.”

—————————————————-

It takes many weeks before you are even slightly conscious again and during that time, Loki does nothing but tend to you in his chambers. It begin with healing your other wounds when he has regained his strength, running his hands softly over cuts to close them and burns to heal them. He carries you from cot to bath, letting a female chamber maid bathe you from head to toe as he sits attentive outside the door, his head resting back against the wall as he listens for the sound of anything gone amiss. Eventually as the number weeks verge on turning into months he finds himself staying awake at night just to make sure that you are still breathing. When he’s forced back into his princely duties he’s always distracted, taking huge chunks of his day to feed you water as you lean up against him and to change your bandages. People in and around the palace begin to notice his change in demeanor and scheduling, but they don’t dare mention it. 

When you first woke, he wasn’t there and it scared you to death. You didn’t know where you were, you didn’t know if your people are dead or alive.  _Kara_. Oh gods, what had happened to Kara. Ignoring the pain completely, you tumble from the cot and onto the floor,then slowly make your way standing with a hand pressed to your abdomen and a the other hand holding onto the nearest object for support. With slow and steady steps, grabbing every piece of furniture within reach, you only managed to make it to the outer chamber before your legs start to tremble. You were gripping a door frame for dear life when the outermost door opened and Loki stepped through. Upon seeing you, his eyes go wide and he runs to meet you as you start to collapse against the door frame.

“Kara…” You breathe out in question as you slump against his chest, his arms going around your back to hold you tight.

“Is fine,” He answers your unspoken question softly with a concerned gaze checking over your body. He brushes your hair back to check the scar on your forehead. “You are still healing.” After placing a chaste kiss to the pink skin of the scar, he scoops you up into his arms to walk you back to your cot.

“My people…” You voice is weak and mumbled into the skin of his neck, but he hears you.

“Are in a time of peace, Thor made sure of that.” He lays you back down on the cot as if you are made of glass, making sure to cradle your body like a baby’s until you are fully resting on the cot. “You had me so worried.” He admits, still smoothing a hand over your forehead and hair which is a gesture one could easily take for checking for a fever, but somehow you know it’s not. He coughs awkwardly, taking his hand away from your head and changes the subject. “Do you want water?”

You nod your head ‘yes’ and he reaches over to the table to grab the pitcher and shallow cup that sit there. You got to sit up, wincing in pain as the scar tissue protests your actions and he fumbles to set the water on the floor so that he can scramble to support you. “Easy, easy.” He chides as he slides behind you and pulls you back to lean against his chest. “You are still very much hurt, you stubborn woman.” You flinch at him calling you ‘woman’ be he doesn’t see to notice or maybe he thinks it’s in pain. “You need rest, we both do.” He says once you’ve had your fill of water and you silently agree, falling asleep as soon as you hit the pillow.

You sleep for a few days. Then some time later during the night you wake yourself screaming and crying. You sit bolt upright in your bed, the pain in your side making the memories all that more present. Your scream wakes Loki as well and he tumbles from his bed across the room, rushing your side in a panic.

“You are safe, love.” He shushes you, taking your face between his hands so that you’ll look at him. “They cannot get you, you are safe here.” He eases you back down, wiping the tears falling down your face with the pads of his thumbs. “I am here, you are safe.” In your drowsy state you grip at him as you try to find some reality to cling to, but you find you can’t because he’s only in a pair of sleeping pants. When he realizes you need comfort, he doesn’t think twice about letting you wrap yourself around his body and taking you over to his bed. Your shaky breaths cease almost immediately as he lays down next you, cuddling you to his bare chest.

You slept soundly, tucked against this chest and what wakes you in the morning is his lips to you forehead and his hand caressing your side, the tattle tell tingle of healing magic radiating from both points. It felt wonderful, until he hit a tender spot. It caused your eyes to snap open as you gasped from the pain.

“Please forgive me,” the apology spills from his pale lips as he places them to your temple over and over. “It has to be done, I am sorry.” You grab hold of his arm and curl up against him in pain as he keeps kneading his magic into your side.

“Why… are you doing this?” You ask when he removes his hand from your side. “I told you… there was no debt to repay.” You look up to find his eyes full of mixed emotions.

“I couldn’t let you die by my hand.” He says softly, cupping your chin and running a thumb over your cheek. “Those… _monsters…_  they thought you were mine… because of the charm…” His eyes start to water, turning red with unshed tears. “You saved my life and I couldn’t- I couldn’t-” He presses his forehead gently to yours as tears begin to flow down his face. “I am so sorry.”

You shush him the best you can, reaching up weakly to place your hand on his chin like he was doing to you. When he tugs you tighter towards his body, you let him, cradling your head under his chin. “I am going to be fine,” you say against his skin, “Sure, I can’t really walk right now, but I have you for that.” You can feel him chuckle against you. He lifts his head and is about to ask you something when there is a pounding at the door

"Brother!” Thor shouts through the door. “Father requests the presence of both you and your maiden!” The pounding continues when Loki rolls his eyes and stays silent. “If you do not answer, I will break down this door!” Loki sighs, then places a kiss to your cheek and makes his way to the door. The quiet conversation between the brothers is quick and then after he readies himself, Loki is back to help you get ready.

“How do they know I am awake?” You question to Loki, who is standing outside as you finish bathing yourself.

“I sent for dresses this morning, before you were up.” He explains as he carries you back to his bed. “News travels fast in the palace.” He turns away as you dress yourself in one of said dresses. “I know not why they continue to call you mine.” He shuffles his feet. “I care for you a great deal, but you are not mine.” When you grab hold of him to stand up, he turns and there is a blush to his cheeks. He avoids your gaze, looking down at your bare feet. “If I asked… would you?”

Your weary brain does not connect the two confessions right away. “Would I… what?” Your voice is quiet in shock. An Asgardian Prince… in love… with you? _The kisses_ , you should have known.

“Be mine?” The question falls from his lips and hangs in the silent air. “If you do not feel same, it matters not, you do not have to an-” You cut him off with a kiss, using all of your strength to cling to him. He quickly lowers his head down and holds you tight, not wanting for you to strain yourself. He breaks the kiss earlier than either of you would have wanted, but it still leaves you without air in your lungs. “Is that a yes?” His eyes flicker between yours.

You grin, avoid letting loose a laugh in the fear on might be painful. “What else would it be, you silly man?” You bring his face back down to meet yours and whisper against his lips. “Of course it’s a yes.” Then you kiss him again until even more knocking of the door interrupts you both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

The majority of your weight is still supported by Loki as you follow Thor to the throne room. Your legs still don’t carry your own weight without support. The walk is long and you have to stop several times to catch your breath, each time with Loki growing more concerned about your state of health. Eventually, he scoops you up into his arms for the rest of the journey and sets you down just outside the giant golden doors that lead to the throne room. Thor gives you both a questioning look when Loki places a lingering kiss to your forehead

“You are the woman who saved the life of my son, are you not?” Odin booms from his seat on the throne as you enter the massive room.

You still flinch at the word “woman” and Loki holds you tighter against his side as he helps you make your way to the front of the room. “Yes, father, she is.”

“Can she not speak for herself, boy?” Odin stands.

“I am, your Majesty.” Your voice croaks from Loki’s arms. “It was my honor to heal a crown prince of Asgard.” You try to dip into something that you hope resembles a bow, but you barely move down an inch before Loki stops you. 

"Very well then. You shall be rewarded and then sent back to your people.” Odin returns to his place on the throne as you sag in Loki’s arms.  


“She cannot even stand upon her own accord!” Loki is enraged, clinging you as closely as he can to himself. “She will stay here, as she has for the past month.”

“I  _allowed_ her presence because your mother told me she was deemed unfit for travel.” Odin’s voice rises with his anger and he storms to where you and Loki are standing. “She is  _not_ of noble birth,  _nor_ is she worthy of royal ranking.” His words eat at you, causing you to cringe into Loki’s chest and then suddenly you’re sitting on the ground outside.

_"I love her, father!”_

_“And that does_ not _constitute you breaking the contracts that you are bound to as an Asgardian prince!”_

Then a female voice, which you attribute to Queen Frigga shushes them both. You can’t clearly hear what happens after that, but it still appears to be a heated discussion between all three parties. You jump, startled when the doors across and down the hall from where you sit slam open and Loki storms out. His head whips back and forth, his gaze frantic and desperate to find you.

"I didn’t hurt you, did I?” He runs to you as soon as he spots you, checking your healing scars. And he almost goes to check your abdomen right there in the hallway before you swat his hands away.

“I’m fine,” You take his worried face between your hands. “You haven’t hurt me.” He presses his forehead to yours.

“We don’t have long,” he begins tearfully, “They have allowed you to stay, but only in the healer’s wing and only until you are well enough to travel." 

The breath seems to be knocked from your lungs. “ _What.”_ Your hands fall from their place, cradling his face and then go to latch onto his arms, suddenly filled with strength from your anger. “ _No.”_  


_“‘No’_?” His head pops up, his eyes searching yours, confused. “What do you mean ‘no’?”

"He said I was to be rewarded, yes?” Loki nods in answer to your question, his tears still slowly leaking from his eyes. “He did not say how did he?” Loki does not respond, he only scoops you back into his arms and races back into the throne room. “I wish to be a lady of the court!” You exclaim, as soon as your feet hit the throne room floor.

“My dear girl,” Odin chides from the throne. “You cannot even stand without aid, how do you expect to be a lady of the court?" 

"You said I was to be rewarded for saving the life of your son.” You shove your way out of Loki’s grip, falling to the floor as both Loki and Frigga lunge to your aid.

“No,” Odin says with a wave of his hand to stop Frigga from rushing down the steps. “If she can stand, her request shall be granted.”

The task sends a burning pain through your body and you can practically hear Loki cringing at the sight of you in pain. Your arms are wrapped about your waist, as if you could hold it tight enough for the pain to just go away. It takes a few minutes, from all fours to barely standing. You’re pale and wobbly as it is, so when Odin is satisfied you let yourself collapse and trust Loki to catch you. You must have startled him, because he’s frantic to get a response from you. 

“Love? Love?!” His hand is tapping your face, panic in his voice. You open your eyes to find he has followed you to the floor, resting you upon his lap and not caring a bit that the ground is no place for a prince. “You’re okay.” he sighs into your hair, rocking you close. There’s bit of silence between you two as Odin goes about pronouncing you as an official lady of the court and thus giving you permission to be courted by Loki. “I love you.” It’s barely more than a whisper against your scalp, but you hear it.

“And I you.” You smile weakly up at him

“I told you,” he says softly with a smile. “There’s always something,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome!


End file.
